Corner clamp for bed covers



Nov. 29, 1955 J. F. D! MARIA CORNER CLAMP FOR BED COVERS Filed Dec. 10, 1951 FOOT OF BED JOSEP E Di MARIA BY HIS ATTORNEY I disarrangement.

rates The present invention relates to a bedding clamp, and pertains-more particularly to a clamp for retaining in position the covers of a made-up bed, so that after the bed has been used, the covers therof can be re-made with great ease and facility.

In the past, various types of bedding clamps and retainers have been provided to prevent vdisarrangernent of thecovers of a bed, but such devices either have been of a nature to require their removal before using the bed, or else have required some structural change in the bed upon which they were to be used. v

The present invention contemplates the provision of a bedding clamp which can be readily applied to the corners of a bed to retain the bed covers against complete It is also an object of the invention to provide light, simple bed cover clamps which can be applied easily after a bed has been'made up. It is a further object of the invention to provide a bedding. clamp which can be covered by a bed spread so asnot to mar the appearance of the made-up bed. It is a still further object of the invention to secure bed covers against disarrangement, while at the same time increasing. the comfort of an occupant of the bed.

' These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from. the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a made-up bed having a clamp embodying the present invention mounted on each corner thereof, portions of the bed covers being broken away.

ber, the, clamp member .being broken away along. a longitudinal medianplaneto 'disclose"ball chain. attaching means. 7

"Fig.5 is afragmentary perspective view showing an end portion of afurthermodified form of clamp member, the'clamp member beingbroken away along va -median-plane in a manner generally similar to that of Fig: 4.

Fig. '6- is a fragmentary perspective view showing the "end portions of a still-further modified pair of clamp members and their connecting means.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing two preferred angles at whichto mount" the bedding clamps of.the

-' invention 1 across acorner of a bed.

In the accompanying illustrations of-the'invention, a

pair *of' lightweight clamp members AandfB are: provided of a size tofit diagonallyacross each corner of a -bed C after it has been made .up as shown in Fig. 1, In

general outline, the clamp membersof all forms of the [invention shown inf Figs. 1- 10. 6, inclusive are. simil ar,..to

atettt .in Fig. l. .Whflethewclamp members B may-be placed ..at-.any.-desired angle across the. corners. of the bed,;I

2 each other, the ends of each being disposed at angles of approximately 30 and 60, respectively, to one side of the member.

The clamp. members may be of any suitable material, such as, for example, wood, plastic, or metal. Those illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 will be assumed to be made of wood, while that shown in Fig.5 is made of sheet material such as plastic or metal. When made of wood, I prefer to employ relatively straight grained, fumiture type wood, which will take a good finish, so as to harmonize .with furniture in the bedroom in which the clamps are to' be used. In size, it is suitable to make the clamp members of /z to inch stock, approximately eleven inches long. The ends of each clamp member are sloped at angles whichare at to each other, and preferably are. at angles of 30 and 60 respectively to each side of the clamp member.

Referring first to the form of the invention. shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one of the clamp members B of each pair thereof has a flexible connecting element, such as a cord 10, attached to each end thereof. The cords are inserted through holes 10a, provided one adjacent each end of each clamp member B. A knot 11a is provided at the lower end of each cord 10 to engage the under side of the lower clamp member B to prevent withdrawal of the cord upwardly therethrough. Other knots 1111 are provided at predetermined spaced intervals along the'length of each cord 18 to engage the upper clamp member A in a manner to be described later herein.

While the invention will function equally well with either of the clamp members A or B uppermost, I prefer to mount the'member B of each pair beneath, and the member A'on top of, a mattress 18 (Fig. 1). The invention, therefore, will be described with the clampmernbers so positioned.

The connecting cords 10 are of sufiicient length to span the depth of the mattress 18 with the bed covers 19 (Fig. 1) tucked therebeneath, and to allow a sutficient amount ofeach cord to extend beyond the upper clamp member -A to permit the cord to be grasped by a person placing the clamps on the bed to draw the clamps together into clamping relation with each other.

Each upper clamp member A has a slit 20 in each end thereof of a width to receive the cord 10- therein,-bu't to prevent passage thereth-rough of the knots 11b in the cord. A shallow bowl-like recess 21 is provided in each clamp rnember'A at the inner end of each slit 20 to receive a knot 11b therein, and thus to retain the cord 10 against outward displacement in the slit until it is desiredto release the clamps from the bed. In order to make the .upper clamp members interchangeable for use on' either side of the bcdC, the knot receiving recesses 21 preferably vare provided on both sides of each upper clamp member A.

The cords 10,-10 on the clamp member B for one corner of the bed C preferably are arranged so that the portions of the cords having the spaced knots 11b therein will extend oppositely-from those of the other .mernberB for the opposite corner of thebed. This allows the clamps to be furnished in matchedsets, which may be mounted at similar angles of-either30 or'60 to the sides of the bed, as indicated by the dotted lines 15-a=nd 17, respectively, in Fig. 7, with the ends of both clamp members disposed flush with the sides and an end of the bed.

'In using the clamps shownin Figs. 1 and 2, after making up the bed, and before placing a bed spread .22 thereon, a lower clamp member B is inserted-beneath each corner of the mattress 13 at the footof the bed C, the bed covers-19 being tucked therebeneath as shown prefer to place them at angles of either 30 to 60 to the sides of the bed, as shown in dotted lines 15 and 17 in Fig. 7, with the ends of the clamp members flush with the sides and end of the bed.

With the lower clamp members B, B thus positioned beneath the corners of the mattress, an upper clamp member A is placed in position on top of the bed covers directly over, and substantially parallel to, each lower clamp member B. By pressing down on the upper clamp member A, and drawing upwardly on the cords 10, 10, and inserting the cords in the end slits 2t 20 of the members A, A when a desired degree of clamping pressure has been attained, the knots 11b resting in the recesses 21 on top of the members A will retain the members A and B of each pair in clamping relation. When thus mounted the clamps will securely retain the covers against disarrangement.

In order to provide comfortable foot freedom for one using the bed, in making it up the lower sheet 19a is drawn taut across the foot of the bed, while the upper sheet and other bed covers superposed thereon preferably are provided with a considerable amount of fullness (Fig. 1) across the foot of the bed between the clamps A-B on opposite sides of the bed.

When using the present invention, the bed covers may be pulled upwardly toward the head of the bed considerably further than when it is necessary to tuck them in at the food of the bed, so that one has the advantage of extra long bed covers without their additional cost.

In the modified forms of upper clamp bars shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, the corresponding lower clamp members for each thereof (not shown) are of the same general outline as the lower clamp member B shown in Fig. 2, with the connecting elements secured thereto in any suitable manner, for example, where a cord is used similarly to that shown in Fig. 2 and, in the case of a ball chain, similarly to that shown in Fig. 6 and which will be described later herein.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the upper clamp member Aa has a slit 20a in the end thereof generally similar to the slit 20 shown in Fig. 2, but without the knot receiving recesses 21 therein. For securing the cord 10a to the upper clamp member Aa, the cord 10a is inserted in the slit a and the upper and lower clamp members are drawn together into clamping relation with each other by pressing down on the upper clamp menbcr Aa and drawing the cord 10a upwardly to clamp the mattress and covers as described previously herein for the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2. The cord 10a then is wrapped several times around the end of the upper clamp bar Aa, and the free end of the cord is passed again into the slit as at 23. The free end of the cord then is drawn taut to prevent the cord from unwinding. In this modified construction of Fig. 3 the cord 10a preferably is of a diameter to have a rather snug fit in the slit 20a.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, a ball chain 10b of a well known type is of a size to fit freely into a slot 20b in an upper clamp member Ab. A bell shaped chain retaining member 24 is inserted with its concave side upward in a hole 21b provided at the inner end of the slit 20b. The chain retaining member 24 is pressed into the hole 21b with a tight press fit so as to remain permanently therein, a chain 10b being releasably attached thereto during each clamping operation of the device. The chain retainer 24 is provided with a slot 25 in a side thereof of a width corresponding to that of the slit 2% in the clamp member Ab so as to receive the ball chain 10b freely therein. The lower end of the slot 25 is reduced in width as at 25a to a width to receive a connecting wire 27 between adjacent balls 28 of the chain 10b, but to support a ball 28 thereon. Thus after drawing the upper and lower clamp members Ab and Bb together to clamp the corner of a made-up bed between them as described previously herein for the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, the chain 10b can be drawn into the slit 2% with a ballconnecting wire portion 27 thereof entering the reduced lower end portion 25a of the notch 25 in the chain retaining member 24 to hold the clamps in cover-clampng position.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, an upper clamp member Ac is formed of sheet material such as, for example, metal or plastic. A recess 210 is formed at the inner end of an end slit 20c in an upper clamp bar Ac. The slot 200 preferably is of a width to receive a ball chain 10c freely therein, the inner end of the slit being narrowed at 250 to receive the connecting wires 270 of the chain 100, but to support the ball 280 which is in the recess 21c to retain the chain in adjusted position. The operation of this latter modified form of the invention will be obvious from an understanding of the operation of the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, and described previously herein. The forms of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are at present preferred.

The modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 4, and comprises an upper clamp bar Ad with end slits 20d therein. The slit 20d is of a width to receive a ball connecting chain 10d freely therein. A recess 21d is provided at the inner end of each slit 20d to receive the lower end of a bell shaped retaining member 24d therein. The retaining member 24d is substantially wider than the slit 24d so as to be supported against passage therethrough when positioned as shown in Fig. 6. The bell shaped member 24d has a narrow slit 25d along one side thereof of a width to receive a connecting wire 27d between adjacent balls 28d of the ball chain 10d with a close press fit therein. Thus the bell shaped retainer 24d can be attached to the chain 10d in desired adjusted position, and will remain thereon until removed manually in the event it is desired to change the adjusted position of the retainer. The lower end of the chain 10b is passed through a hole 30, similar to the hole 10a of Fig. 2, of a diameter slightly larger than the balls of the chain A lower retaining member 32 of larger diameter than the hole 30 is attached to the lower end of the chain to prevent its withdrawal upwardly through the hole 30 when the chain is in tension during a cover clamping use of the device. The operation of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is generally similar to that described previously herein for the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2.

With any of the various forms of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, once the clamps are in clamping position on a made-up bed, the bedding may be thrown down over the foot of the bed upon arising to air out the bed. Later in the day, or in the evening upon returning home, one may draw the covers 19 up over the bed, smooth them out as desired, and cover the madeup bed with the spread 22.

This greatly speeds up and facilitates bed making, particularly for busy housewives and for single men and women who have a minimum amount of time to spend in bed making. The use of the present invention insures a comfortable bed and one in which the covers do not become completely disarranged in use. The only times when it is necessary to disarrange the bedding is once or twice a week when it is desired to change the bed linen.

While the clamps of the present invention are intended principally for use at the foot of the bed, still, in order to insure tautness of the lower sheet 19a, an additional pair of the clamps D, D (Fig. 1) may also be employed at the head of the bed C, if desired.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and several modifications thereof, it will be understood, however, that various other changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A bedding clamp comprising a pair of rigid clamp bars each of a length to extend diagonally across a lower corner of a made-up bed with one of said clamp bars above, and one below the mattress and covers thereof, one of said clamp bars having a ball-chain connected to each end thereof of a length greater than the combined thickness of the mattress and covers of the bed to be clamped, said chain consisting of alternately arranged balls and connecting wires, the other clamp bar having a slit in each end thereof of a width to receive said ball chain therein, with a hole of larger diameter than the width of the slit at the inner end of said slit, and a cup-shaped chain retaining member in said hole, said retaining member having a side opening therein for introducing the chain into said retaining member, the lower end of said side opening being of a width to receive a connecting Wire of said chain and of less width than the diameter of the balls of said chain to support a ball thereof against passage therethrough, thereby to at tach the two bars in cover retaining clamping condition across the corner of the bed when the two clamp bars are drawn together in cover and mattress compressing condition and the chains are engaged under tension in the retaining members.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the retaining member is secured in position axially of said hole, and wherein the side opening in said retaining member opens into said slit and is of a width to receive the balls of said chain.

3. A bedding clamp comprising a pair of rigid clamp bars each of a length to extend diagonally across the corner of a made-up bed, one of said clamp members having a flexible ball chain connected to each end thereof, each chain consisting of alternate balls and interconnecting wire elements, a slit formed in each end of the other clamp member of a width to receive the flexible chain therein, and a thin notched chain engaging element mounted at the inner end of each slit with the notch in said notched element directed outwardly into the slit in which said notched element is mounted, each notch being of a width to receive a wire element of the chain therein, and of lesser width than the diameter of the balls of the chain, thereby to retain a selected ball of said chain against passage therethrough when the bars are mounted diagonally across a corner of the mattress and covers of a made-up bed with the mattress and covers gripped firmly between the bars and the chains drawn under tension and engaged by the chain engaging elements of the slitted bar member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

